Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-B N901DH

Summary

On 31 August 1991 at about 22:30 local time, a Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-B registered N901DH, operated by Hutchinson Family Trust, was involved in an accident near Mojave, California, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 August 1991 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Mojave, California, United States

Nearest airport

Kelso Valley Ranch (77L)

Coordinates

35.1492, -117.9190

Aircraft

Schempp-Hirth VENTUS-B

Registration

N901DH

Category

Glider

Operator

Hutchinson Family Trust

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

California City → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX91LA378

1 person was seriously injured.

THE GLIDER PILOT'S INADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO CLEAR TERRAIN. FACTORS WHICH RELATED TO THE PILOT BEING LOW COULD NOT BE ESTABLISHED BECAUSE THE PILOT HAD NO MEMORY OF THE ACCIDENT, AND NO WITNESSES WERE IDENTIFIED WHO OBSERVED THE GLIDER OTHER THAN DURING ITS FINAL FEW SECONDS OF FLIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A GLIDER CONTEST, THE PILOT TRAVELED FOR 17 NAUTICAL MILES AND REACHED THE FIRST TURN POINT IN THE SPECIFIED TRIANGULAR COURSE. THE GLIDER PILOT WAS LOW, AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT A NEARBY AIRSTRIP. WITNESSES REPORTED OBSERVING THE GLIDER FLYING DOWNWIND AT 50 TO 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. WHEN THE GLIDER TURNED TOWARD THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY IT LOST ALTITUDE AND COLLIDED WITH A DIRT BERM ON THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE GLIDER'S FLIGHT PATH WAS BASED UPON WITNESS STATEMENTS. THE PILOT HAD NO MEMORY OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.